Do you believe in magic?
Annarasumanara details the story of Ah Yi, a high school student struggling with finances, who meets a mysterious and handsome magician Ri Eul. The latter is supposedly rumored as crazy, and lives in an abandoned local theme park.From the trailer, this fantasy-escapism theme is not something we haven’t seen before, and it’s commonly portrayed in famous classics such as Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan, and in non animations such as Pan’s Labyrinth (and Labyrinth!).
But it’s this theme incorporated into a modern day world that makes the drama emotional and very heartwarming, and one that I don’t doubt the majority of audiences would appreciate. The colour palette and fairytale-like visuals immediately swept my soul away, and there’s a heartfelt sense of wonder – much like how you would feel as a child experiencing the simplest of things. But unlike children’s stories, Annarasumanara isn’t for younger audiences and covers more serious themes.
The relatability through all three of our protagonists – Ri Eul, Ah Yi and Il Deung, is what I personally think is one of the most memorable parts of the drama. One is a grown man with a seemingly childlike innocence, another is a young girl with broken dreams, and the third who never reflected on the dreams pushed to him.
Most of the time we indulge in films and shows to witness unrealistic and exciting stories, but I believe it’s those with messages we resonate to are the ones that never leave. Moreover, it's these kinds of dramas that ultimately has low potential for a rewatch, because the experience won't be the same as the first time.
Annarasumanara is a highlight of this in 2022 so far (alongside My Liberation Notes). Above all else, it boldly outlines the problem of standards society has formed – where we try desperately to fit into without question, serving as a toxic benchmark to our self worth and confidence.
From personal dreams, goals, grades, and whether/how much one has achieved anything in their life, the drama attempts to breaks this barrier, allowing the audience to take the time to consider their emotions and position in life (which stretches beyond that of riches and achievements, and more about personal fulfilment). This is primary done through Ri Eul’s interactions with both Ah Yi and Il Deung.
For some, it could be an emotional reminder not to blindly fit into this box society has made. For most, this drama might lead to an awakening – one that I wished I had experienced during my high school days.
Without giving anything away, I don’t think Ri Eul’s magic itself is the main focus of the story. It plays a huge role in regards to the side plot, but as the episodes progressed, one would realise the magic extends beyond that of learned tricks or illusions. And again, this is a beauty of Annarasumanara.
Since watching short clips of Ji Chang Wook’s singing in ‘The Days’, I wondered what it was like to witness a Korean musical. Alas this was not possible due to language barriers, but I never expected to get a taster of it through a kdrama, much less hear him sing again.
The musical genre in Annarasumanara is a huge standout and brilliantly done. It’s an element that hasn’t been done in kdramas (from what I recall) before, and perhaps its success might mean fans of kdramas would see more of this in future (hopefully!). The deeply profound lyrics reveal the characters more than the dialogue, and expresses their emotions in such a raw way.
A particular track that remains now as one of my favourites (alongside Annasumanara) is A Curse of Asphalt. The lyrics nearly had me in tears, and seems like a punch in the gut. It doesn’t just apply to students, but for everyone who might be constantly hustling without thinking much of it. Aside from this, the choreography, production, vocals and atmosphere of it all are just perfection.
Performance wise, there’s nothing I can add when it comes to kdrama actors. Ji Chang Wook’s portrayal of Ri Eul is one I won’t forget. Acting alone would be tough as it is, but for this role it involved extra work with singing and practicing magic illusions, and his tremendous efforts couldn’t be unnoticed.
His beautiful voice would tug at your heartstrings, and the range of expressions he’s showed – from eyes filled with hopeful stars, to despair and sadness – makes it so difficult to tear your gaze away. I cannot imagine anyone else playing Ri Eul.
When I discovered Choi Sung Eun’s age (also Hwang In Yeop’s as well) – who plays Ah Yi, I couldn’t hide my immense shock. Her portrayal as a broken high schooler is captivating, and the chemistry between herself, Ji Chang Wook and Hwang In Yeop shines through the drama and interviews.
I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from clicking on Ep1, but Annasumanara gives much more than what you’ve signed up for. There’s an empty but bittersweet feeling after finishing the series, and I can't recommend the drama enough.
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Not exactly my cup of tea
I wasn't sure if Korean musical will be my thing but I liked it. It was really nice! I will still prefer traditional dramas than sung ones but nonetheless the story was good and visuals were more than amazing!As first episode nicely hooked me, the further I went, the less focused I was. I don't know why becaus as mentioned above actors play was superb, visuals totally incredible and story sole. Everything was in its place - mysterious characters, their stories, development, fantastic music in the background .... almost gives a Disney vibes. But for me something was missing. I agree with the words of one of the reviewers here "Probably not all will find this show to be sane or worthy of a serious watch" and I think I am the one.
Regardless of the fact that I wasn't completely swallowed in this series and that it had several unfinished side stories, watching it was a great entertainment 😇 Sound of Magic is an outstanding drama combining fantasy and reality in a very sophisticated way. The darkness of the plot and harshness of reality is sweetened by the developing relationships, redemption and magic. Basicaly its a story of 3 broken people that tries to move on and accept their position with help of magic 💫 Because who doesn't wish for some magic in their lives?
Annara sumanara😉
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This review may contain spoilers
Premium Blend
Summary: A complex but not overdone blend of genres including musical, fantasy, comedy, mystery, thriller, and romance in just six episodes! It started out amazing and then fizzled out a bit with a few loose ends. The music was ok to me, not much stood out other than the first song and the duet between the female lead and her sister. The acting, singing, and choreography were great though and each episode did keep me wondering whether or not Ri Eul was the real thing. I also loved the community service message about accepting oneself.Details: Yoon Ah-yi is the typical tortured soul in a not-so-typical Korean drama, facing unfair treatment or circumstances often by three-fold — all while singing her way through life’s woes. The first episode had me hooked with the fast-paced and whimsical way the show began with none other than a song and dance. The handsome male lead gave off a Johnny Depp like vibe to the character. Later on, I got a familiar feeling that sprinkled essences of “The Prestige” (2006), which also told the dark story of a struggling magician.
A sobering message addressed the societal and parental pressures forced on kids to excel in school and to narrowly focus on their future careers as their only option in life: “…if you don’t meet the set standards, you’re treated like a failure... Just what kind of qualifications are necessary to become a respected adult? I just need to be me.” That was a helpful reminder for me as a trapped (or trapping) adult. Lol. And “I didn’t know before that flowers don’t bloom on a smooth asphalt but on bumpy dirt,” was a beautiful reminder of what good things may blossom if we’re willing to navigate the challenges life brings.
The plot twists were well-timed but the musical parts of the story were weakly introduced thereafter and new elements of storyline were not finished off. For example:
- Was Ri Eul really gifted with supernatural powers and how did he obtain those powers? Did that mean that both Yoon Ah-yi and Na Il-deung were gifted as well? None of that was explained, only focus on a wandering butterfly.
- What does the blue butterfly symbolize? Also an element never explained.
- What happened to the budding love story between Yoon Ah-yi and Na Il-deung? Do they end up dating?
- What happened to Na Il-deung after he made his big life decision at the end?
For the last episode, I was confused as to where the audience for the final song came from. Suddenly, there was this hypnotized and excited crowd cheering on all the characters as if it was a stage play all along. I didn’t get that part. Why didn’t the filmmakers introduce that scenario in the beginning? It felt a bit jarring to the rest of the story.
Overall, I really like this series with its unique and blended storyline.
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A beautiful adaptation of a wonderful webtoon
So glad they stuck to the plot of the webtoon instead of making a more audience-appealing and romanticised version.The casting was amazing- everyone fit the webtoon characters perfectly. I liked how they made Ri-Eul more childish and cuter than the webtoon to counter Ah-Yi’s unbearable victimisation. Yes, the poor, helpless FL was a little overdone- it’s not this exaggerated in the webtoon.
I’m not so sure about making it a musical because the only song that I thought was relevant is the asphalt road song.
I do wish they showed the parrot as much as it was shown in the webtoon because the webtoon showed her as his family whereas she was more of a prop here.
Nevertheless, a great watch 🎩🪄🦋
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Enchanting tale, beautifully filmed and acted with a strong message despite some flaws in writing
I truly enjoyed the thematic of the series and the atypical mix of the genres the writer and director went for. I like the message of the series and the take it took regarding some of the more fantastical elements. Pacing could maybe have been a bit better and I wish the heroine would have had some stronger moments to shine like it was the case for the two other main male roles. The mystery side was pretty easy to figure out but its resolution was also satisfying.The main cast was really key in insufflating life and feelings to the story. With less talented main actors and actress, what was a magical tale could have felt very bland or at the least relatively not as fresh and original as it was. Indeed some of the storylines were pretty common for the fiction school genre and still they managed to get me invested in what was happening to the characters. In particular, Ji Chang Wook and Hwang In Youp are both excellent and took my breath away several time with gut-wrenching emotional moments. Choi Sung Eun did a good job as well but her character was less interesting to me and did not evolve enough throughout the series for me to be totally satisfied.
In addition to the acting, the overall making and soundtrack are the most impactful part of the series. There are numerous beautifully filmed and directed scenes, it is a feast for the eyes in addition to be very symbolic and elaborated tableaus. There are a couple of very memorable musical numbers and I was impressed by the singing voices of the main cast. The quality of the production is impressive, up to part with some high budget movies.
I would recommend this to people that are looking for magical tale with a tad of mystery. If you enjoy Disney animated movie, musicals pieces of cinema such as La La Land or The Greatest Showman, or even if you have some affinity for the Peter Pan fairytale, I would strongly advice you give a shot to this atypical drama.
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Wasted a perfectly good male lead on whatever depressing thing this is
extremely disliked this. the pain of poverty, the over the top domineering parents, the harsh realities and no romance-this is not entertainment- it's a case in study on human frailty. The music WAS good but most of it was sad. all along you wonder how is the female lead paying for food & rent considering that you never see her work in the end she has totally forgiven her deadbeat father and the male lead has gone off into the sunset with no particular destination. The magician is AWOL as well. The whole thing was very depressingWas this review helpful to you?
It's a musical
I don't know why I didn't realize it before I watched it but this is a musical. I watched this simply because of Ji Chang Wook and Hwang In Youp...I'm glad I did. It did not disappoint at all. I absolutely love how amazingly talented Ji Chang Wook is! He's a romance actor, an action actor and now an actor with a musical under his belt. He is unbelievably underrated in my opinion.Hwang In Youp, I cannot wait to watch this young man continue to star in dramas for many years to come. I haven't watched "Why Her?" yet but it's on my list. He did such a great job in "True Beauty" that that he swayed the audience to root for him to win the girl away from Cha Eun Woo. :-)
Anyway, this is a treat all the way around. You will enjoy it if you like musicals.
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Childhood dream
This was my first time writing a review, and honestly, I couldn’t have chosen a better drama to start with. The Sound of Magic is one of the best K-dramas I’ve ever watched. The last episode made me cry, not just because of the story, but because of the emotions it carried.The drama beautifully teaches us to believe in ourselves. As children, we all dream of something, but as we grow up, many of us let those dreams fade away. Just earning a degree or following the same path as our parents doesn’t define true success. What really matters is discovering what makes us happy, comfortable, and fulfilled enough to live a meaningful life.
The Sound of Magic reminds us of that forgotten magic in our hearts, and for me, it was truly unforgettable.
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do you believe in magic?
it was such a heart wrenching yet good show that had my friend and i crying by the end of it.the songs fit the show very well and was a story telling tool to help move the story along, this isnt an all up in your face musical kdrama, but it does have a song or two each episode!
the storyline to us was beautifully written and had us on the edge of our seats every episode of what was going to happen, especially with the magican man.
the charcters where also written beautifully and each of them had their own story to tell which they showed in every aspect of the show & that it showed how some of the charcters had a sad ending to their story.
overall a good drama and id reccomend to anyone who is looking for a more darker & fantasy driven less romantic kdrama, this kdrama is also very heavily musical coded as well!!
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Tell me....Do u believe in Magic?.......
What to say about this wonderful masterpiece by JCW and others which explores the borderline nuances between Magic and Reality? It's a must watch... that is my answer.The storyline fitted different aspects existing in current society, and added that special charm of magic and JCW into it, and what we get is this 6 hours long enchanting specimen about 'finding ourselves and being happy with our choices'.
"Flowers doesn't bloom on smooth asphalt but on bumpy dirt" is an apt summary of what this series tries to deliver.
The VFX was magical and OSTs were captivating.
This one has set the bar high for future musical fantasy concepts in kdrama
Definitely bingeable and a good addition to our rewatch list.
Also, I've to say out of all his dramas, JCW looks his best in this one .
Annara...sumanara..!
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This review may contain spoilers
Believe
It can be very hard to believe in yourself and in othersThis has to be one of my favorite shows. I cried, laughed, and smiled. I even got angry.
It teaches you a valuable lesson. Believe. If you believe anything can happen.
Parents shouldn't put pressure on their kids to succeed. It makes their kids hate them and their self.
Lee Eul understood exactly what Na ll-deung was going through because he went through the same thing. That's why he cared so much about him and making him believe.
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Magic or... illusion?
I missed watching musical dramas, and thankfully, this show did not disappoint. I love every song and every performance they exhibit; it is so fun to watch. Some might find it boring, but for me, it is a great addition to this drama.And can we talk about their acting? They are so wonderful! As usual, Ji Chang Wook (Ri Eul) is an all-rounder, but I find the acting of Choi Seung Eun's (Yoon A-yi) the best! Her microexpressions are the greatest! This is my first time seeing her and Hwang Inyeop in a drama, and I can say that their acting is good. The only flaw I find in this drama is that there is not enough background on the main characters. They are not memorable enough, and I wish that they worked more on the relationship between A-Yi and Il-Deung because it feels scattered. And I am a little bit confused about whether Ri Eul is a real magician or just an illusionist. This is a slow-paced drama, but it was not enough to get to know him more and fully understand his character. Also, her relationship with A-yi is so vague.
It is a good show. You will have fun, but some things are a little bit loose and unclear. I give it an 8.5/10.
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